We all know that the feeling the morning after a night of heavy drinking is never pleasant, but do you know what's really behind symptoms such as nausea and dizziness?

Dr. Pedram Kordrostami who works for the NHS has revealed what alcohol is really doing to your body - from causing muscle aches to anxiety the next day - and crucially what to do to combat the symptoms.

'Recent research uncovered that the average Brit who enjoys a drink loses around 252 hours to hangovers each year, leading to a massive loss in productivity,' the founder of supplement AfterDrink.com said. 'There's only one guaranteed way to prevent a hangover - and that's to not drink at all.

'That being said, if you do choose to drink, common sense still applies. It's always a good idea to have a meal before going out and to drink plenty of water. And of course, always drink in moderation and responsibly.'

If you've been battling hangovers in December you need to know the exact cause of your symptoms, so you can take the right steps to feel better (stock image)

THE SYMPTOM: NAUSEA AND VOMITING

Arguably one of the worst hangover symptoms, many people find that nausea and vomiting is a common occurrence the day after drinking. There are three potential causes of hangover nausea:

Alcohol is essentially a toxin, so it causes irritation and inflammation of the stomach lining, leaving it in a fragile state.

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Alcohol stimulates the production of stomach acid, which is why some experience indigestion after a night of drinking.

Alcohol delays 'gastric emptying'. In other words, it slows down how fast your stomach empties its contents into the small intestine, meaning food and fluid sit in the stomach for longer.

So, irritation of the stomach lining, combined with increased acid production and delayed stomach emptying can leave you feeling unsettled and nauseous.

Popping a pill is the best way to get rid of a headache, but stick to paracetamol rather than ibuprofen, which can further irritate the stomach (stock image)

THE CURE

One of the best natural anti-sickness remedies out there is ginger. Several studies have shown that the active ingredient in ginger (known as gingerol), works by inhibiting the receptors responsible for triggering nausea.

It's so good that doctors still recommend it as a remedy for pregnant women suffering with morning sickness. Try taking an antacid and sipping on ginger tea, as they should both help.

THE SYMPTOM: DEHYDRATION

Alcohol is a diuretic. This means that it makes you produce excess urine. It does this by reducing the production of a hormone in the brain called ADH which is responsible for water reabsorption from your kidneys.

For example, drinking a pint of standard beer (560ml) will cause you to lose approximately 280ml of extra fluid. Add this up over the length of a night and this will leave you with a huge water deficit.

Not only will you lose extra fluid, but alcohol's diuretic effect also depletes essential electrolytes, making your kidneys work hard to keep the balance right. Overall, dehydration is a major contributor to many of your hangover symptoms.

CURE

If you can remember to do so, having a small glass of water between every alcoholic drink can help replenish what's lost. This has an additional benefit of increasing the time between each alcoholic drink.

Doing so should significantly reduce your hangover the next day by allowing your liver more time to process each unit of alcohol before the next one comes through.

If you wake up the next day with muscle aches, it's because your liver is too busy processing the alcohol, allowing toxic by products to build up (stock image)

THE SYMPTOM: HEADACHES

This is certainly one of the most common symptoms associated with a hangover, and one that can be irritating and disruptive to your day.

The relaxant qualities of alcohol mean that when you drink, your blood vessels dilate; this is the same reason why some people get rosy cheeks and feel warmer when they drink.

How to beat a hangover without popping a pill

A team of experts at Abakus Foods have told how ginger caaspin help prevent nausea, while a hot bath can give your lymphatic system a boost.

1. Fructose

'This can help speed up alcohol metabolism, meaning that extra glass could pass through your body faster and you can feel 'back to normal' sooner. Try natural & fruity snacks to help this process. For example the jujube fruit is a great source of natural fructose and also contains potassium which can help rehydration.'

2. Greasy food

'This has long been rumoured to help with alcohol resistance. However, the one time you can legitimately eat greasy pizza and fries is before you start drinking, and the extra oil on the intestines can help slow the alcohol absorption. It's generally a good idea to eat well and not drink on empty stomach.'

3. Ginger

'This can help with an upset stomach, such as vomiting and nausea. Simply make yourself a ginger tea with a slice of fresh ginger in boiled water, or chew on some ginger sweets.'

4. Sweat

'Do this by working out or taking a hot bath, and thereby help your lymphatic system get rid of the toxins in your body. Beware of the sauna though as the excessive sweating could make you even more dehydrated and lower your blood sugar.'

5. Sleep

'This is still one of the best ways for human recovery of any kind. While you sleep, your organs get a chance to rest and restore. In case of a hangover, your liver is working hard to break down the alcohol and sleep allows its natural healing.'

Alcohol also dilates blood vessels in your brain. This – as well as dehydration and alcohol's toxin effect on the brain – contributes to the classic hangover headache.

Dilation of blood vessels in the brain is also one of the hypotheses behind why people get migraines.

THE CURE

Painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen will help alleviate some of your discomfort. You should be aware, however, that anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen reduce the protective mucus lining of your stomach which can leave it more vulnerable to irritation from stomach acid.

THE SYMPTOM: HANGOVER ANXIETY

Alcohol and anxiety have a complex relationship and there's no single cause behind it. Alcohol suppresses the nervous system, making you feel more relaxed and slowing down your responses. When the alcohol leaves your bloodstream, the brain suddenly awakens, causing it to spring back into action.

This is known as alcohol's 'rebound effect'. It's caused by a flood of neurotransmitters in your brain after a night of suppression and can you leave you feeling jittery and on-edge.

CURE

When it comes to hangovers, traditional remedies such as Chamomile tea have been used for centuries to calm and help settle nerves, and taking a walk in the fresh air should help to clear your head.

It's important to note that if you feel that alcohol is affecting your mental health, then you should discuss this with your GP.

THE SYMPTOM: FATIGUE AND MUSCLE ACHE

Aside from the fact that you probably spent the majority of the night on the dance floor, drinking alcohol greatly increases the workload of your liver, forcing it into overdrive to rid the toxins produced by the breakdown of alcohol.

One of the main by-products of alcohol metabolism is acetaldehyde, which forms highly reactive molecules known as 'free-radicals'. Your liver produces anti-oxidants which clear up free-radicals before they cause damage.

However, drinking can greatly increase the workload of your liver and overrun your anti-oxidant defences, leading to a build-up of these toxic by-products. Free radicals stimulate an inflammatory response leaving you feeling tired and defeated after a night out.

A cure for every symptom

Nausea: Ginger and antacid

Headache: Paracetamol

Anxiety: Chamomile tea and fresh air

Disturbed sleep: A power nap

Muscle ache: Only drink one unit per hour

Brain fog: Fresh fruit juice

THE CURE

The only cure for this is drinking at a rate which allows your liver to process and clear alcohol from your system before toxins start to build up. This depends on your weight, height and sex but is typically around one unit per hour, for example, a single gin and tonic.

THE SYMPTOM: SLEEP DISTURBANCE

Do you ever wake up in the early hours of the morning after a night out thinking, 'why am I awake?'

Even though alcohol is a sedative, it has a big effect on sleep quality. Alcohol can prevent your brain from moving into the deeper stage of sleep, also known as the REM (rapid eye movement) stage.

REM is the stage when your brain regenerates and resets, getting you ready for the next day. Alcohol can cause your sleep to be light and easily interrupted, which is why you may wake up several times over night.

So, even though getting to sleep is no problem, maintaining good quality sleep is an issue - and it can leave you feeling fatigued and sluggish the next day.

CURE

The only real option is to go back to sleep, take it easy, Netflix and chill.

But this needs no introduction - 'brain fog' is a real problem if you've had one too many at happy hour.

There is no single cause and it is more a combination of general fatigue, lack of sleep and dehydration which leave you a few steps off the pace.

THE CURE

On a normal day, when you're feeling tired and have a lack of concentration, your first instinct might be to reach for the coffee pot. However when hungover, coffee is something that you should probably try and avoid.

Coffee is a stimulant, and will therefore make your heart beat a lot faster than it already is, as well as worsen any shakes you may have. It's also a diuretic which means it can lead to further dehydration.

Rather, make yourself a nice cold glass of fruit juice such as orange juice, as this contains a good amount of natural sugars and vitamins which will help get your brain get into gear and start functioning at a more normal level.